Kerryn Manning and Rupert Of Lincoln have Kate Gath and Bao Nien well covered at Geelong.
Rupert Of Lincoln carries army of fans through in Aussie debut
By Barry Lichter • 26 October 2018
Sir Lincoln up-and-comer Rupert Of Lincoln started his Australian career on the best possible note when winning at Geelong in Victoria last night.
The Lincoln Farms’ graduate, sold to leading Australian owners Merv and Meg Butterworth last month, made his debut for trainer-driver Kerryn Manning as a white hot $1.40 favourite.
And he didn’t disappoint his army of fans, taking the lead mid-way through the Phil Nott Pace and staving off a late challenge from Bao Nien to win by nearly four metres.
Rupert Of Lincoln … off the mark in start one in Australia.Super Of Lincoln showed gate speed to sit outside the early leader then surged to the front when a rival came around three wide.
It was the three-year-olds third win on end from a career of only four starts and saw him clock 2:36.3 for the mobile 2100 metres, a mile rate of 1:59.8, with closing sectionals of 57.9 and 28.2.
Rupert Of Lincoln was bred by Debbie Green, wife of Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green who always maintained he was a nice laid-back type who only ever did what he had to.
He is out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Crush, a cross which is proving very effective for the Alabar-based Sir Lincoln.
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Sir Lincoln Top 10
Did you know…
1. CUP DAY BIRTH: It was preordained Sir Lincoln would be a headliner when he was born just hours before the 2006 New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington. Three years later to the day, and almost the hour, he annihilated his rivals on the same course in the Sires’ Stakes Final.
2. AGE NO BARRIER: In his second last race start, at the age of six, Sir Lincoln paced the fastest 1700 metres in New Zealand history, 2:00.5, beating Gold Ace and clocking a mile rate of 1:54 at Alexandra Park. Champion pacer Elsu held the previous record at 2:01.1.
3. ON THREE LEGS: Sir Lincoln ran his last race virtually on three legs, when second to Terror To Love in an Interdominion heat at Auckland. He had to be pulled out of the Melbourne series, and retired, when found to have a subluxated pastern joint - basically his ankle joint was dislocated.
4. SWIFT GOLDEN MILE: Sir Lincoln’s fastest mile was recorded in the 2012 Group III Golden Mile at Menangle in Sydney when he was nosed out by Captain Joy in 1:51.4. He was known by the name Lincoln Royal in Australia.
5. AT THE REINS: One for the trivia fans - how many drivers did Sir Lincoln have in his 57-start career? Maurice McKendry was Linc’s pilot throughout his career but he was MIA four times when the horse was handled by James Stormont, Ken Barron and Blake Fitzpatrick (twice).
6. WINNERS KEEP COMING: In only his third season with runners on the track, Sir Lincoln has already sired the winners of 30 races despite having limited numbers to represent him. Last season in New Zealand alone he had 16 winners from only 39 starters and this term he already has six winners from just 18 starters.
7. SOMEBEACH SOME RAP: Breeding buffs made a beeline for Sir Lincoln after superstar racehorse and stallion Somebeachsomewhere had to be put down with cancer. Sir Lincoln is 7/8th bred on the same cross as Somebeachsomewhere - by Mach Three out of a Beach Towel mare who is in turn out of a Cam Fella mare.
8. DISCOUNT FOR LOYALTY: Broodmare owners are returning to Sir Lincoln in droves. Taken by the attractive foals he is leaving, many book straight back to the Alabar-based sire and take advantage of Lincoln Farms’ loyalty scheme which cuts his service fee in half to just $1250 plus GST.
9. TIME BEST FRIEND: Sir Lincoln’s progeny are mirroring the sire’s own start on the racetrack, benefitting from a little time to mature. The best the horse himself could manage as a two-year-old was one third from four starts but he was a different animal at three, winning four of his first five starts.
10. MEGASTAR’S FREAK DEATH: A freak accident claimed the life of valuable broodmare Lincoln’s Megastar, a full sister to Sir Lincoln. The mare, who opened her career with a nine and a half length walloping at Auckland, was retired after six wins, but left only one foal. She was killed when crushed by a fallen tree in a violent storm. Woodlands Stud has another full sister in two-year-old Moonlighting who is in training with Ray Green.